Setting a replenishment SLA with a distributor

In brief

A delivery promise is incomplete if it does not explain which items are stocked and which must be sourced. A replenishment SLA should distinguish routine availability from exceptional procurement.

What to do

Define stocked items and the point at which an order is accepted.
Separate dispatch timing from arrival at your receiving location.
Agree how shortages, backorders, and replacement dates are communicated.

Define the measurement and the exception

For each service measure, write the start event, stop event, data source, reporting owner, and agreed exclusions. Choose a target with the supplier that reflects the operating need and available evidence; the target is a commercial proposal, not an industry-wide standard. Explain how disputed records will be resolved and when a recurring problem must be escalated.

Run the measure through one ordinary event and one exception before signing. If the two parties calculate different results from the same facts, refine the definition. A short set of observable commitments is easier to manage than a long list that nobody can verify.

Illustrative buying situation

Consider this hypothetical example.

A distributor promises next-day supply, but a recurring line is not normally stocked. Ask which items the promise covers and what confirmation is required before the clock starts. Put sourced-on-demand items on a separate lead-time basis. Review complete orders rather than only the first dispatch. A shipment containing the easy items should not count as full replenishment while an essential backordered component remains unavailable.

Your next decision

Review performance against confirmed orders so neither side measures reliability from an ambiguous starting point.

Use Vendoreye to discover businesses listed under Distributors & Wholesalers. Confirm the specific offering, availability, and relevant evidence directly with each candidate; a category listing is a starting point for investigation.

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